Good Friday 6th April marked the start of Blackpool Transport’s highly anticipated new heritage tram tours. With the old fleet unable to load at the new platforms at tram stops, all of the retained fleet apart from the widened Balloons are now effectively restricted to working tours only, and the new service has been introduced to give them a useful role on the modernised system. As expected, the vintage trams run between Pleasure Beach and Little Bispham, and they load and unload at four key locations: Pleasure Beach, North Pier, Cabin and Bispham.
The trams chosen to inagurate the new tour service on this day were Standard 147 (which worked the first journey) and Bolton 66. The latter was a very welcome choice as it had not run for just over eighteen months, and this was also the first time it had operated north of Bispham since the 2009 illuminations, or possibly even longer! 66 had spent several weeks in the Electrical Compound where it has been fitted with transponders, which 147 already had. Despite residing in Blackpool since 1981, Bolton 66 has always been popular whenever it runs and it was fantastic to see this tram back in service after a fairly long absence.
Sadly, the vintage trams were very lightly loaded on the first day despite the Flexities once again being very busy. The £10 fare of a heritage day pass, and the lack of any cheaper tickets that are valid on the heritage cars, could well be blamed but in fairness poor weather will have kept many would-be day-trippers at home. Indeed, cold winds led to the drivers on 66 and 147 complainging about being cold, and so both trams ran in early and were replaced by the more driver-friendly illuminated Frigate 736 and Trawler 737. Although not generally considered as ‘heritage’ cars by most enthusiasts, at least their appearance enabled people who had invested in a day pass to ride on two more different trams without having to pay again.
Despite the lack of passengers, the heritage tours appeared to run well and hopefully as more people become aware of the new operating patterns, business will pick up. We encourage anyone reading this website who visits Blackpool this season to buy a heritage pass, which allows ticket-holders on ride on the service trams as well as vintage cars. The tours need to be well supported to justify continued investment in the old trams we love, and if the venture proves profitable then hopefully more trams will be added to the pool of available vehicles. Your tramway needs you!
I truly feel that the single option of a full day ticket at more than twice the price of a system wide pass is an own goal.
Bryan rightly makes the argument that the heritage fleet will need to pay its way and that it has its own peculiar cost structure, but I really do feel that a single ride ticket is needed and that the full day ticket should be no more than 150% of the cost of the system wide ticket.
The restriction to only part of the system mitigates against the high price, and there perhaps need to be one or two occasions when tours go to the extremities of the system, and tie in with other attractions – dining options, entertainment options, etc.
There has to be more than just afternoon jaunts along the prom to sustain the fleet.
If the system wide pass had remained at £6.00 or even been raised to £6.50 0r £7.00 it would not have been so noticeable and ten pounds today is not a king’s ransom, but everything is relative and it looks pricey compared to normal fares.
Equally – perhaps a crinklies concession as – say – a fiver to holders of nationakl concession passes might get some of them aboard for old time’s sake – just my thoughts!
Thanks for your comments. I do appreciate your point of view fully, but take a look around and you will then begin to realise that the Heritage Tram Tours are among the lowest priced and best value attractions in Blackpool. Take a look at other local attractions websites for details and then come back and tell me this is expensive. The £10 ticket is also valid on the whole of the Blackpool Transport bus network and also the LRT tramway.
Compare us with some of the Museum Tramways and you can’t fail to notice how reasonable the fares are, or just how much longer our operating route is between Pleasure Beach and Little Bispham; that’s a 10 mile round trip. You need to get out of the habit of thinking of the heritage trams as public transport. There is nowhere else in the British Isles where you can ride a vintage tram on an LRT system and nowhere else where you can ride a vintage tram at top speed like you can here between Uncle Toms and Little Bispham. That’s a thrill that still gives me enormous pleasure.
I do believe that the weather played a significant part in the turnout at the weekend, but then again, we are starting a new business and it will take time to grow it. Getting casual day trippers to understand where to board the trams is the most significant problem. This is a marketing issue and one which I have not underestimated. I knew it would be difficult to get this message over, but we will get there. Everyone who travelled at the weekend, enjoyed themselves and said what good value it was and I was delighted that we covered our operating costs on what was a very cold, dull, windy and eventually wet weekend. Many of those who came to support us came back 2, 3 and even 4 day’s running to ride our trams and that surely suggests we’ve got something right.
I feel very satisfied that we can continue to operate our heritage vehicles in Blackpool at a time when changing legislation might have closed us down. What we have here is unique. What is past is past, the way they once operated is now a part of their long and illustrious history, but the trams are still here; living history for all to enjoy and I’m determined to make a go of it.
I do have some more good news for you though Frank, we listened to what our customers were saying to us and from this weekend, we are introducing a £5 senior citizens ticket. This will be available on the Heritage Trams only for anyone with a concessionary or disabled bus pass issued anywhere in the UK. It can be used for an unlimited number of heritage tram tours, but will not be valid on the bus network or the LRT system. It will also be available to purchase up to a week in advance from our Travel Centre at Market Street or from Rigby Road head office. See http://www.blackpooltransport.com for opening hours.
I hope this helps to cheer you up a bit and if you’re on a pension yourself, why not come back and have a ride for half price next time? Whether I’ve scored an own goal, only time will tell, but the match has only just begun and half time is a long way off yet! And don’t forget, the second half starts with the Illuminations! Then there’ll be extra time in December with Santa to referee the match!
Best wishes,
Bryan